Freedom From Addicionts-Monday

Well, we are coming to the end of the first good weather (supposedly) long weekend of the year. For my American friends, we celebrate “Victoria Day” the weekend ahead of Memorial Day, a tie to our British roots.
I feel for those with cottages and those who are campers. If people were looking for traditional outdoor activity, they didn’t get the weather. I got another round of golf in, and today, without rain, just cold and windy.
Last night, I had dinner with dear friends, both doctors. He had it all to an outsider at one time-family, money, homes, cars, public admiration-, but couldn’t stop drinking, and slowly alcohol took everything from him. He now has mild Korsakov Syndrome (wet brain). Alcohol, coupled with a mild stroke took away a large part of his brain function. A real remember when for me is a night with my friend Paul. In his eyes, you see alertness, but he has trouble putting a paragraph together. Yet he loves me, and it brightens my whole day when we can bring him to laughter over things from the past.
His wife is one of the brightest and “outrageous” people, I know, so the time we spend together is full of good humor.
I was my friends sponsor, and seeing how he is today is a good reminder of how powerless I am over people. He could not open himself up to the reality of the demons from his past, was continually tormented, and the pain, and numbing took him to a point where he is; a shell and to some extent locked into his own world. If I had of continued the route I was going, had not listened to others and been willing to change, and awoken spiritually, I could have easily had the same fate as my friend.
Today he is sober and living a program as best as his abilities will allow, and I love him unconditionally.
In going through some things from my past parts of my journey, I was reminded how many I have known with addictions, and many much younger than me, that are now dead. I am so terribly lucky that my mind was able to open enough to realize I had a problem, to accept the help from coaches, a treatment facility, a great spiritual adviser, and many in my fellowship of choice. Most importantly, to find a power greater than myself dwelling within me and all around me who would guide me if I stayed out of my own way, and did good healthy things. To change my daily living routine, my higher power truly worked through others, and was there for me in prayer and as importantly, in meditation.
The miracle of weekends like this?
I can stand my own company, in fact enjoy it, have people around me that care, and have enough insanity left within that I can walk the golf course in less than ideal conditions and be both happy and grateful. I have hope and serenity, and that is progress, certainly not perfection.
When I look back, I know what has happened to me is a miracle, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my miracle with others!